Florida State University Panama City’s Business Administration program hosted a talk Monday, Sept. 27, in the Holley Lecture Hall for students to learn about conflict management strategies from local experts.

“We hope these presentations will inspire our students, enhance their educational experience, and increase collaboration and engagement between academia and the industry,” Business Professor Eren Ozgen, Ph.D., said.

Guest speakers included Janice L. Lucas, executive director the LEAD Coalition of Bay County and chairperson of Rebuild Bay County Inc.; and Cecile Scoon, president of the League of Women Voters of Florida and civil rights lawyer in Panama City. Scoon also served as active-duty Air Force JAG prosecuting in military courts-martial. Students also heard from Leon Walters, USN SES (Ret.) Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division, who serves on the Bay County Defense Alliance Board and is a chair on the STEM Council. He was the 2015 recipient of the Lauren Merriam Memorial Award, the Bay County Chamber of Commerce’s highest honor. The fourth speaker was Becca Hardin, president of Bay Economic Development Alliance. She served as vice president of Business Development for Batson-Cook Co., and she has been named one of Georgia's Top-100 most influential Georgians by Georgia Trend Magazine.

“Recognizing and managing conflict is a necessary skill for our graduates going into the workforce. Response to conflict is typically automatic so it is important that our students hear from successful individuals on different approaches. This event is just one more way that FSU PC provides an enhanced learning experience,” Marketing Professor Wendy Ritz, D.B.A., said. 

The event was geared toward FSU PC’s Business Administration students, but any interested students were welcome to connect with the Bay County professionals and gain insight from their real-life experiences with conflict management in various fields.